A Pair of Pears and an Orange (Anna McGregor, Scribble)
A pair of pears are good friends who like to spend their days together, playing games that are just right for the two of them. When Orange appears, Little Pear invites her to join in the games. Big Pear is not happy with this addition—Little Pear and Orange enjoy playing together but Big Pear is upset that their two-pear games aren’t working the way that they used to. Feeling rejected, Big Pear decides to leave Orange and Little Pear in search of new friends. Big Pear meets a trio of peas but finds she doesn’t fit in with them, as their games are all made for three, so decides to return to her old friends. She is able to change her mindset and accept Orange and thus the pair of pears are reunited. This book is illustrated in bright pastel shades and has a lot of personality. Puns and visual gags are sprinkled throughout and will be enjoyed by kids and grown-ups alike. As well as being funny, A Pair of Pears and an Orange teaches a valuable lesson about friendship and acceptance. This is an entertaining and gently educational tale, perfect for reading aloud with early primary school–aged kids who may be feeling jealousy around newly formed friendships and changing group social dynamics.
Ellen Cregan is a bookseller and writer from Melbourne.
